"Unfulfilling Bathroom Scenarios"

In Water Closet, an adult PC game created by Will Japan and distributed by Peach Princess, you observe five women trying to deal with their urological problems on a given day. However, unlike ''traditional'' Bishojo games, you have no in-game character to interact with these women.

The major problem with Water Closet is the lack of depth for the storylines. While the backgrounds for each of the 5 women are fairly well developed, the storylines are not. Heck, the storylines of Water Closet are just slightly longer than those of the much maligned Dor game.

It seems like the purpose of each story is to lead the gamer through sex scenes involving the ''heroine.'' Indeed, the women are often forced into various forms of hardcore sex. These women have as much free-will as your character in X-Change. What happens to the women afterwards? Do they ever resolve their urological problems? The writers at Will Japan never bother to address these issues by the time an ''END'' appears on your computer screen when you finish the game for a particular heroine. Thus, to label Water Closet a ''game'' would be an act of generosity.

The Graphics of Water Closet are a mixed bag. For many background scenes (such as the hallway of an office building, and in public bathrooms), photographs were used rather than computer graphics. While this Reviewer understands the desire to inject some realism (particularly the bathroom scenes) into the game, the photos just didn't translate well on the computer screen. The character designs are better than average, and the facial expressions of the women are excellent. However, some gamers may be offended by the scenes involving defecation and golden showers.

The Background music was average. While the game includes sound effects and voice acting, this reviewer's computer was not able to open those files while playing the game. Thus, the reviewer cannot provide any comments on sound effects and voice acting of Water Closet.

Water Closet utilizes Peach Princess' traditional controls. By moving your mouse cursor to the top of the screen, you can save and load at any point in the game. You have the option to adjust the volume of the background music, the sound effects, and voice acting, and you can turn them off. You could also adjust the speed in which the messages appear on your screen.

In addition, you have the option to review for each character the computer graphics, sex scenes, and music that you unlocked while playing the game. These features are organized by character and easily accessible.

Unfortunately, the game can be finished in a handful of hours. There really isn't much to do in Water Closet aside from running through the bathroom sex scenarios. Once the gamer uncovers all the CGs and scenes, there is little incentive to pop the game disc into the computer again.

Water Closet had tremendous potential as a game built on bathroom humor, but squandered this opportunity with half-finished storylines. The bathroom humor is unique initially, but quickly becomes repetitive and boring. The characters make cameo appearances in each other's story arcs, but there is no build up on these appearances.

Unless you are a big fan of bathroom humor, Water Closet is a stinker and not worth buying.